Citation

Kanchan T, Menezes RG, Acharya PB, Monteiro FN. J. Forensic Leg. Med. 2012; 19(1): 46-47.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal University, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jflm.2011.07.012

PMID

22152449

Abstract

Blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is a relatively uncommon diagnosis and is usually associated with a high mortality rate. A case of delayed cardiac rupture is described in an elderly person who sustained blunt chest trauma following a fall into a roadside ditch. In the case reported herein, the preliminary investigations at the time of admission did not show any evidence of haemopericardium. The patient deteriorated suddenly, possibly due to a delayed rupture of the right ventricle that was diagnosed postmortem. Acute cardiac tamponade resulting from rupture of the right ventricle is a serious and life threatening state. A high index of suspicion about the possibility of delayed cardiac rupture is required during the management of a case of polytrauma where significant cardiac findings can be masked by the presence of other injuries.

Language: en